ACB arrests Social Welfare Dept official in Kathua bribery case

Srinagar, Apr 06: Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau (JKACB), Jammu registered a case FIR No. 03/2026 U/S 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against public servant, namely Des Raj, Junior Assistant posted at Social Welfare Department, Billawar, District Kathua, for demanding and accepting illegal gratification from the complainant.

As per the statement issued, the said accused public servant, demanded the bribe amounting to Rs 10,000 from the complainant, for releasing of assistance under State Marriage Assistance Scheme for the marriage of his daughter, whose marriage stands fixed on 16-04-2026. The said accused, after negotiation, agreed to receive Rs 5,000 as bribe money from the complainant for doing the needful. The complainant had already paid an amount of Rs 1500 as bribe to the said accused and now, after re-negotiation, he is further demanding an amount of Rs 3000 for the release of Rs 50,000 as assistance under the said scheme. Since, the complainant didn’t want to pay bribe and accordingly he approached Anti-Corruption Bureau for taking legal action against the accused public servant under law.

On receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted, which corroborated the demand of bribe by the public servant concerned and accordingly, a case FIR No. 03/2026 U/S 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 was registered in Police Station ACB Jammu and investigation taken up.

During the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted. The team laid a successful trap and accused public servant was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe amount from the complainant in the presence of independent witnesses. The accused was arrested on the spot by the ACB team after following due process of law. The bribe money was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap team. Moreover, search is also being conducted in his residence situated at Kishanpur, Billawar in presence of Magistrate.

Further investigation of the instant case is going on, statement added.